Phil Goes Blooywood: Phil watches AGENT VINOD-September 6, 2012

My quest of watching Bollywood movies continues with today's film. An action packed, spy film starring the love of my life Kareena Kapoor, AGENT VINOD is ode to classic Bond films while simultaneously forging an identity for itself. Doesn't it succeed? Yes and no.

According to the film's official website, "The story begins with a series of seemingly unconnected events. In Uzbekistan, Anex KGB officer is tortured and murdered. In Cape Town, a group of international business tycoons discuss a rumor that the dead KGB officer had a nuclear suitcase bomb hidden away. In Moscow, an Indian secret agent is exposed. The agent is shot dead while trying to send a code red message to India. In India, the head of R.A.W. sees the incomplete message. All it contains is a number 242. Enter Agent Vinod. Vinod (Saif Ali Khan) is the kind of agent who first kicks the door open and then finds out whats behind it. His unconventional approach puts him in dangerous situations, but he manages to get the crucial leads. A series of twists and turns take Vinod across the globe: from Marakkesh to Riga, Karachi to Delhi and finally London where he discovers the ultimate conspiracy."

The film is very entertaining and Khan is terrific as the no nonsense Agent Vinod: tough, strong, amazing martial arts expert, can fire a gun like no other, and looks great in a suit. The only thing missing are the James Bond gadgets! Kareena Kapoor (CHAMELI, RA.ONE, JAB WE MET) portrays his love interest, but what's interesting is that throughout the film, you don't know which side she's one. She has many alias: Iram Parveen Bilal, Dr. Ruby Mendes, and Josie. She's the wild card in the film, which has enough twists and turns to keep the audience guessing as to who is the mastermind this elaborate and diabolical scheme of world wide war. Also Kapoor looks breathtaking in her red satin dinner dress!

Director Sriram Raghavan does a fine job of directing the film, and the action scenes all contain that "on the edge of your seat" excitement. There's one particular scene where Vinod and Jamie are engaged in a shoot out in a hotel bar, and it shot and paced so fluidly that it looked like it was shot in one take! Clearly Raghavan took a page out of the Martin Scorsese book of directing.

Along with the action scenes, the musical dance numbers were also sublime! The main song comes in the middle of the third act when both Kappor and Saif Ali Khan perform during the song "Dil Mera Muft Ka." Both ladies look absolutely gorgeous in their scene together!

All this aside, the film does drag on a bit too long in certain parts of the film. Plus some of the storyline became too hard to follow, as many new characters were introduced before I could get an handle on the ones I already saw. And some of the characters were not fleshed out enough for me to care. I know that Vinod is no nonsense agent, but sometimes I felt he was a little two-dimensional, which made him fall flat at times. But these are some of my minor complaints about the film, but these were most noticeable.

The movie borrows its name from the 1977 film of the same name, which begs me to wonder if this was a remake (since there was already a film called AGENT VINOD, I vote this film as a remake even though the two films have very different stories). But this is only one part of the film's many controversies, The soundtrack boasts some excellent vintage Indian songs, but according to Wickipedia, "Reports said that the film featured songs from older films, without acquiring prior permission from the producers. The owners of these songs were not credited in the film. Saif Ali Khan however paid for the rights later, and explained this to be a last-minute co-ordination problem." Also the film was banned in Pakistan as it made references to a section of ISI's involvement in Jihadi groups and terror activities. When the film was releases in India on February 22, 2012, it was panned by the critics and film fans. By the end of its worldwide theatrical run, it was officially declared a box-office failure. 

Even though flawed, AGENT VINOD is still an action packed, spy-filled rollercoaster ride of a film! While not perfect, it is still entertaining and sure to get your blood pumping. So in my humble opinion, it worth checking out. 3 1/2 out of 5 stars!

AGENT VINOD is currently available on DVD from Eros Entertainment. To purchase a copy, visit their official website at http://dvdstore.erosentertainment.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil goes Bollywood: Phil watches JAB WE MET (2007)-December 8, 2011

Once again I traveled to that far away land in India called Bollywood where I found another priceless cinematic gem that was fun and enjoyable to watch. Starring the love of my life Kareena Kapoor, tonight's film is the romantic comedy JAB WE MET!

Theatrical Indian Movie Poster (2007)

In the film Kapoor portrays the cute, funny, quirky, carefree, feisty, and very chatty Punjab girl named Geet Kaur Dhillon, who while on a train returning home to Bhatinda meets Aditya Kashyap (Shahid Kapoor), a wealthy Mumbai-based businessman who is depressed after losing his father and being dumped by his girlfriend. After Aditya gets off the train in Bar Nagar, Geet follows him, missing her train and losing her luggage. However they make it to Bhatinda, where he meets her family, including her as well as her soon to-be betrothed, Manjeet (Veer Pratap Singh). Geet tells her family that she's marrying Aditya instead, so the family welcomes him with open arms. However Geet has a plan: she elopes with him - not to get married - but to re-locate to Manali - where her true love, Anshuman, is waiting, and who she hopes marry him. But as Aditya's life prospers, Geet's takes a turn for the worse. When her family comes looking for her, Aditya must find her and rescue her from her failed new life.

Again, Kapoor just shines as Geet: funny, witty, and just so beautiful. But when she's cast away by Anshuman, she does a complete 180, becoming sad, depressed, and reduced to a shell of her former self. A fantastic performance by Kareena Kapoor. Now the other Kappor, Shahid does a great as well; showing several different ranges of emotions as well. Both characters start off the film as emotional opposites; towards the end they end up switching places, which horrifies Aditya. Greet was his source of inspiration which enabled him to turn his life around, so he returns the favor by reminding her who she is.

Both Kreena and Shahid have great on-screen chemistry, of course it helps that this being there fourth film they starred together in. Writer and director Imtiaz Ali keeps the film light, funny, and warm hearted. Plus the dancing in the film is very impressive and the music is very catchy! Ali would go on to direct the recently released film ROCKSTAR (which was my second Bollywood film I ever saw). The film was released to theaters in India on October 26, 2007.

JAB WE MET is a fun, light-hearted, romantic comedy that will leave you with a smile on your face. Another Kapoor film to check off my list! Yes I love her! So what? Go see this film and try not to fall in love her! You can't so there! But really, check out the film. Two thumbs up!

JAB WE MET is currently available on DVD and can be purchased at your local video retailers or at Amazon. Visit their website at www.amazon.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil goes Bollywood: Phil watches CHAMELI (2003)-November 22, 2011

Ever since I saw RA.ONE and ROCKSTAR a couple of weeks ago, my desire to watch Bollywood films has reached a fever pitch! I also made it a point to watch any film that had actress Kareena Kapoor in it. So while I was in the Willow Glen library checking out some books, I stumbled upon their Hindi DVD section. There I started to pick up Bollywood films that looked promising. One of those films had Kapoor in it, so I had to watch that one first. Expecting your typical lavish Bollywood extravaganza, the film CHAMELI is the polar opposite; offering complex characters and development while examining the affairs of the human heart as it tries to comprehend love, life, and loss.

Original Hindi Movie Poster (2003)

The film follows Aman (Rahul Bose), a wealthy investment banker, whose car breaks down during a cold, stormy night in the area called Kamathipura, which is notorious for it's red-light district and its also known as a crime-prone area. Unable to call for help on his cellphone, he takes refuge in a nearby building. There he meets a prostitute named Chameli (Kareena Kapoor), who at first propositions him, but he turns her down. But soon he gets involved in her nightmare world involving pimps, eunuchs, prostitutes, and corrupt police officers. However it is during the duration of the night these two opposite individuals begin to slowly reveal themselves to each other, and so do their hearts.

The film unfolds so beautifully, like a rose blossoming open during a warm spring day. Some fantastic directing on the part of Sudhir Mishra, who really takes his time and lets us in on these two lost souls who have some pain hiding within them. Also worth noting is the amazing acting on the part of Kapoor. She brought pathos, intelligence and vulnerability to the role, and her performance is just captivating. Before making this film, Kapoor was pretty much typecast as the "funny, silly carefree" character as seen in her previous films. When the role of Chameli was announced, she auditioned for the it, and the rest as they say is history. The film and the role redefined Kapoor, and relaunched her career into the stratosphere. New and challenging roles we offered, and soon she became the most popular actress in Bollywood.

The film was released in India on December 31, 2003. It received critical acclaim right from the get go. The film would later go on to win Best Cinematography at the Film Fare awards and Kapoor would also win a Special Award for Best Performance. The film was released on DVD here in the states in 2004 by Rainbow Films USA.

CHAMELI is a beautiful and enchanting love story of two strangers who meet by chance, but are destined for love. So if you if you are tried of the same old Hollywood love story, then please, by all means, track this film down and watch it! It is a fantastic film that I highly recommended!!

CHAMELI is currently available on DVD and can be purchased at your local video retailers or at Amazon. Visit their website at www.amazon.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil goes Bollywood: Phil sees RA.ONE (again) in 3D at the AMC Mercado 20 Theaters-November 19, 2011

Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)

OK,OK, I know what thinking! "Uhhhh....Phil, you've already seen this film. And I've already read your review. So what the hell are you doing writing another review for the movie?" Yes, you are right my faithful readers. But for those who haven't read my original review of the film, click here to read about it.

OK, now the reason for my watching and reviewing it again. I saw it in 3D! That's it! That's the only reason I saw the film again. But let's face it, the film rocks! I loved seeing the film the first time, and since it was my first Bollywood film, it now has a special place in my heart. So when I read that the film was still playing at the AMC Mercado 20, I wanted to see it again, but when I saw that it was also playing in 3D, I jammed out there like a bat outta Hell to see the film. Yes, I got to see it all in 3D: fierce action fight scenes, fast paced car chases, computer games sequences, spectacular dance scenes, and the amazingly, the enchanting, the absolutely stunning Kareena Kapoor...in 3D! When I saw Kapoor appear in the film in 3D, I though I died and gone to heaven! So make this an important engagement, and go see RA.ONE now! And don't forget to see it in 3D!!

RA.ONE is currently playing in 2D and 3D in select theaters nationwide, including at the AMC Theaters. To view showtimes, visit their website www.amctheatres.com. The film is also playing at the BIG Theaters in Fremont. To view their showtimes, visit their website at http://us.bigcinemas.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil goes Bollywood: Phil sees RA.ONE at the BIG Cinemas Towne 3-November 9, 2011

So after driving by the BIG Cinemas Towne 3 (an Indian theater that was once owned by the Camera Cinemas before they sold it) for about the millionth time, I told myself that I really need to see a movie there soon. Then yesterday when I drove by it, I saw a movie poster that caught my eye. I pulled over to see what film it was for. As it turned out, it was for the new Bollywood, sci-fi action film RA.ONE and so, I went to see it the following night. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the amazing world of Bollywood!!

Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)

The films stars Shah Rukh Khan as Shekhar Subramaniam, a video gamer developer at Barron Industries who is loving married to his wife Sonia (the absolutely breathtaking Kareena Kapoor) and has a son Prateek (Satish Shah). While in the process of developing the ultimate superhero for his project, Shekhar faces harsh criticism from his son, saying that he would rather see the ultimate super villain instead. Wanting to part of his son's world, he takes he's advise and creates the indestructible villain called RA.One (pronounced as in Lankashwar Raven and portrayed by Arjun Rampal) and his arch foe, the heroic G.One (Jeevan and modeled after Shekhar's likeness). However, on the eve of the game's release, RA.One discovers a way to enter the real world and plans on destroying anything that comes in his path.

So as my first real Bollywood film ever, I have to say that I really enjoyed the film. It was first very entertaining. It had a good script with fun and eclectic characters, fantastic action scenes, and like other Bollywood films, three great song and dance numbers. The first musical dance sequence "Criminal" was fun and sets up the rest of the songs later on in the film. This at first shocked and surprised me. I'm not use to seeing an action fight scene fitted into a musical dance number, but this is common in these films. And so I fell in love with it! It was just that damn awesome! All the songs were catchy and it will make you dance in your seat!

Another fascinating aspect I noticed in the film was the influence of Western culture there in India. Brand name designer clothes, skateboards and American slang and behavior, as well as the music. While it contains traditional Indian music, it is also infused with hip hop and techno dance music; creating a very interesting and very creative style of music that I really enjoyed!

Shah Rukh Khan does a great job as both the nerdy, cowardly, goofball dad Shekhar and the heroic G.One. Khan is a very popular movie star in India, and has made several films. For me, seeing Kareena Kapoor up on the big screen was a revelation to me. Here is a talented actress who can sing, dance, act, and look beautiful while in the middle of a fight scene! And yes, I am in love with her!

RA.ONE is an cinematic experience that I will always cherish with me forever! A great film for fans of sci-fi, Bollywood, and it's fun the whole family. It is also a great introduction for those who have seen a Bollywood film before. I am so glad that I decided to see this film. Now a whole new world has been opened up for me, and I look forward to seeing more films at the BIG Cinemas.

RA.ONE is playing at select theaters here in the South Bay. It is currently playing at the AMC Theaters Mercardo 20 Santa Clara and AMC Cupertino Square 16 as well as at the BIG Cinemas Fremont 7. Click the links for showtimes near you!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!